This invention relates to the field of ties or fastening devices for bundles of gathered items, such as cords, strands, garden hose and the like. In particular, it relates to a keeper for coiled items such as a coil of electrical cord, garden hose and the like which can keep the items held together neatly in a coil but which is readily separable to release the items from the coil when ready for use.
Prior art devices of this kind which are known to the inventor of this invention include those disclosed in the following U.S. Patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,172 discloses a fastening device for items in a bundle or coil comprising an elongated strap having one surface covered with hooks, the opposite surface having a short section of loops at each opposite end and a short section of hooks at an intermediate location between the loop sections at each opposite end. One loop section at one end of the strap is folded over to connect with the intermediate hook section on the same side of the strap enclosing one strand of the bundle by the loop formed thereby. The second loop section at the other end of the strap is brought around the entire bundle to face the opposite side of the strap having the hooks thereon to which it connects thereby encompassing the entire bundle within the larger loop formed by bringing the second loop section around to connect with the hooks on the opposite surface of the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,936 discloses a fastening strap secured to the tongue of a shoe, having Velcro elements on opposite end portions and on opposite sides of the strap to form a loop around the knotted shoe laces and connect the opposite ends of the strap together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,432 discloses a strap having Velcro elements on opposite end portions and on opposite sides to wrap a bundle of wires or other items, and a ratchet tooth tie connected at one end of the strap. The ratchet tooth tie is used to secure the device to one strand of the bundle. The opposite ends of the strap are brought around the entire bundle and connected together by the interconnecting Velcro elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,738 discloses a chair tie, comprising two spaced apart straps having a block member therebetween forming opposed receiving channels to receive upwardly extending elongated members of adjacent chairs, after which the straps are wrapped around the elongated members and secured by interconnecting fibrous elements provided on the facing surfaces of the straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,438 discloses a peel resistant tape assembly in which a separate tab member is affixed to a strap having cooperative interconnecting members inwardly from its outer end. The separate tab then overlies the outer end of the interconnected strap and extends beyond to intercept and abut against anything that would otherwise rub against the outer end of the strap causing it to begin to peel away. The separate tab thus deflects the peeling force from the outer end of the strap whereby only shearing force is applied to the interconnected outer end region of the strap. The interconnecting elements of the strap can resist substantial shearing force.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,805 discloses a disposable rotary brush spacer ring in which the opposite ends of the strip used to form the ring have a respective slot and notched tab portion to seat and interlock with the slot to thereby hold the strip in the form of a ring.
The prior art devices require a separate member to lock a coil or bundle keeping device secured to a strand thereof when the keeping device is opened to release the coiled item for use. In accordance with the present invention, such interlocking means to hold the coil or bundle keeping device secured to a strand thereof when released for use are provided as an integral part of the coil or bundle keeper itself and does not require any separate member for that purpose.
The entire coil keeper and strand interlock in accordance with the present invention comprises a unitary elongated strap having fibrous loop elements throughout the entire portion of one surface and fibrous hook elements throughout the entire portion of the opposite surface to interlock with the fibrous loop elements when formed in a loop and one surface is overlapped with the other. The strand interlock, or single length interlock, is provided by a slot through the elongated strap at any desired intermediate location and a notch extending inwardly from one or both opposite side edges of the strap spaced apart from the slot a distance substantially equal to the circumference or peripheral cross-sectional dimension of the strand of electrical cord, or length of garden hose, or whatever the coil keeper in accordance with this invention is to be used with. The outer end of the strap closest to the notch is inserted in and drawn through the slot with the strand of electrical cord, or length of garden hose, or whatever within the loop formed thereby until the notch portion of the strap reaches the slot. The strap is then twisted so the axis of the notch extends normal to the axis of the slot, whereby solid portions of the strap alongside the slot seat in and interlock with the notch or notches extending inwardly from one or both sides of the strap. The loop thereby formed around the electrical cord, garden hose, or whatever has the same dimension between the notches and the slot as the circumference of the electrical cord, garden hose or whatever the device is to be used with so it is thereby held snugly thereto and interlocked in place thereon so it cannot fall off or become separated until the strap is twisted far enough to unseat from the notch or notches and to line up crosswise with the slot to enable it to be withdrawn.
Interlocking notches may be provided in the strap at more than one pre-selected spaced apart location from the slot, to enable use of a coil keeper in accordance with this invention with cords, garden hose and other items of varying circumference or peripheral cross-sectional dimension.